Vijayawada, January 15, 2026: YSRCP Nellore district president and former minister Kakani Govardhan Reddy demanded that the Andhra Pradesh government resume work on the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Scheme without delay.
He described the project as a lifeline for Rayalaseema's drought-prone farmlands, designed to draw water from the Srisailam reservoir at the 800-foot level to provide assured irrigation and stabilise agriculture in the region.
Reddy accused the current coalition government of halting the scheme due to alleged understandings with Telangana leaders, sparking farmer discontent in Nellore.
He warned that failure to restart could lead to large-scale protests by farmers and irrigation experts.
The scheme, aimed at utilising Andhra Pradesh's rightful Krishna river share during floods, has become a flashpoint amid inter-state water tensions and opposition criticism of the ruling TDP-led administration.
